Work starts on £8bn Typhoon contract

BAE Systems has revealed work has begun in Lancashire to deliver 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets ordered by Turkey in a deal worth up to £8bn.

The defence giant has started manufacturing the front fuselage of the aircraft at its plant in Samlesbury.

It says the milestone marks the latest step forward in delivering the fighters, one year on from Turkey signing a contract to become the Typhoon programme's 10th operator.

In a post on social media BAE Systems said: “As assembly advances in the UK, work is also progressing across the Typhoon partner nations, with key components being manufactured throughout Europe.

“Airbus Defence is currently producing the centre fuselage of the first Turkish aircraft at its facility in Germany.”

Dave Ward, vice president - Türkiye at BAE Systems, said: “This is an exciting moment for the programme and a demonstration to our Turkish customer that Europe’s defence industry is working hard to deliver on our commitments to them.

“Typhoon will become a key part of Turkey’s frontline, further strengthening its position as the backbone of NATO's combat air power and this latest milestone is an important step towards making this a reality.”

BAE also revealed representatives from the Turkish air force have recently visited Samlesbury to see the latest progress on work.

The UK and Turkey signed the deal last October in what was heralded as a major boost for Lancashire’s defence and aerospace sector.

Under the agreement, BAE Systems will manufacture major airframe components, conduct the final assembly of the aircraft and lead the weapons integration at its Warton and Samlesbury sites.

The contract represents the biggest fighter jet deal in almost 20 years and has been heralded with saving the Warton production line.

It is also generating work for hundreds of companies across the UK supply chain. The weapons package is being primarily provided by MBDA, which is also based in the north west.

Almost 6,000 jobs directly support the Typhoon programme at BAE Systems in Warton and Samlesbury.

Speaking at the time of the order announcement, BAE Systems chief executive Charles Woodburn said: “Typhoon is an export success story and demonstrates how investment in defence can fuel significant economic growth and returns across the UK.

“The announcement extends Typhoon production and preserves crucial sovereign skills which underpin the UK’s defence and security.”

Typhoon is widely regarded as one of the UK’s most successful defence export programmes contributing £1.4bn in exports annually. The programme generates £1.6bn to the UK economy each year.

More than 20,000 jobs across the UK are supported by the Typhoon programme, including highly skilled sovereign engineering roles, with the majority based in the north west.

The deal means Typhoon production in the UK will now extend into 2030.

The then Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the order as 'a win for British workers, a win for our defence industry, and a win for NATO security'.

Continuing Typhoon assembly in Lancashire is seen as vital in bridging the gap until the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) fully ramps up and in securing the skills needed to deliver it.

The UK is a partner with Italy and Japan in GCAP, working to develop the sixth-generation fighter and accompanying systems, with much of the early work taking place at BAE Systems’ Lancashire facilities.

The Unite union, which represents thousands of BAE Systems workers, welcomed the deal with Turkey. It said the order was critical to maintain vital fast jet engineering skills, particularly in final assembly.

However, the union is adamant it remains imperative the RAF also places an order for new Typhoon aircraft.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham repeated that call last week, saying: “Ministers say they’re ‘backing Britain by buying British’. This must be proved with action not just words.”